


Meet Me By the Entrance of the Tube

by ChemFishee



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: 2010 Fic, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-22
Updated: 2013-09-22
Packaged: 2017-12-27 07:49:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/976276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChemFishee/pseuds/ChemFishee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He pushes the damp curls off his forehead and blinks at the estimated arrival times for the Piccadilly Line. Eames couldn’t do something simple and humane like retrieve him from Heathrow.<br/>(November 2010)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Meet Me By the Entrance of the Tube

**Author's Note:**

> A cut scene/little bit of discardia from something I was toying with. Title courtesy of Duffy’s “Warwick Avenue”.  
> Unbeta’d, so all mistakes are mine and mine alone.
> 
> (Originally posted [here](http://chemfishee.livejournal.com/195816.html).)

_Of course_ it’s raining in London because Arthur’s life is a fucking cliché, a roll of the dice in the ineffable game being played with the Universe. And, okay, he really needs to stop reading Gaiman if he doesn’t want to develop a permanent twitch nestled deep in the furrow between his eyebrows.

He pushes the damp curls off his forehead and blinks at the estimated arrival times for the Piccadilly Line. Eames couldn’t do something simple and humane like retrieve him from Heathrow. No, he had _insisted_ that Arthur learn to navigate the Hell of the Tube – with line transfers! – with his checked luggage.

 

-

 

“Think of it as an exercise in following directions, Arthur.”

“I know how to follow directions, Mr. Eames.”

“No, you know how to follow _orders_. There is a difference.”

“Purely semantics.”

Eames scoffs. “Honestly, Arthur, it’s not that bloody hard. It’s color-coded. It’s practically idiot-proof. Just pack light. I’ve got access to a PASIV we can use until Cobb arrives.”

Arthur sighs. “Fine.”

“Now was that so hard? Don’t answer that. Have you got pen and paper to write down the _directions_?”

Arthur nods before realizing that while Eames may in fact have planted a camera or other surveillance device in Arthur’s Los Angeles apartment, he is still unaware of the existence of the Georgetown townhouse. At least, to Arthur’s knowledge. He will definitely need to sweep for bugs once he hangs up the phone. “Got it. Go ahead.”

“Now, since you’re getting in so late – must remember to congratulate United on finally figuring out how to do same-day flights. Although, are you taking a red eye from LA? Or will you be leaving from Dulles directly? No matter. Since you will be getting in so late, it will take forever to clear immigration. Do try not to harass the fine arbiters of goodwill and last defenders of our freedom and liberties, Arthur.”

“ _Eames_.” Arthur runs his eyes along the crown molding of his study. The books will have to wait to be checked until his hands are entirely free. And he still needs to pack.

“Yes, yes. Anyway, you will have to deal with the mess from construction for the sodding Olympics.”

Arthur _hmmm_ s and taps his fingers on the edge of the desk. He reaches under the lip to find his Glock still fastened to the underside of the drawer.

“Take the Piccadilly to Earl’s Court. Transfer to the District Line going to Edgware Road. At Paddington, switch to the Bakerloo to Queen’s Park. You can get off at Warwick Avenue or Maida Vale. Two chances to get it right, Arthur. Think you can handle it?”

The corner of Arthur’s mouth twitches up into a smirk. “Did you choose to live there because of the Duffy song?” He can’t keep the mocking out of his voice.

“I will ignore the blasphemy of being compared to the bloody Welsh. Ring when you get to the end, and I’ll come retrieve you.”

“This number?”

“Yes. Oh, and Arthur?”

“Yeah?”

“If you somehow manage to end up in Houndslow instead, I will not come and get your arse until the morning. And do not think you can take a minicab from there. You need to stay alive until the end of this job, or I’ll never hear the end of it from Cobb.”

Arthur is still laughing when the line clicks with Eames ringing off.

 

-


End file.
